Thursday

Jul 25, 2013 at 12:53 PM

She's one of the fastest women in the world, but there will be no running from the cameras for Sanya Richards-Ross in her new reality series, Sanya's Glam Gold, which premieres Thursday (10/9c, WE). Turns out, the type-A personality ...

She's one of the fastest women in the world, but there will be no running from the cameras for Sanya Richards-Ross in her new reality series, Sanya's Glam & Gold, which premieres Thursday (10/9c, WE). Turns out, the type-A personality that helped drive her to the Olympic title in the 400-meter dash last summer is not confined to the stadium. "The only time Sanya stays in her lane is on the track," younger sister Shari laments in the first episode, annoyed by Sanya's involvement in the Austin hair salon Sanya funded for her.

Richard-Ross's ambition often exasperates her family (dubbed "Team S.R.R."), who are all prominently featured in the six-episode series. In the premiere, they chastise her for her inability to relax, even on a vacation in Jamaica. "I really push them hard to be the best they can be," the three-time Olympian says of her family's role in her career and business ventures. "I'm happy for the world to see a side of me they don't know."

Not that it will always be pretty. "I'm not very patient, and people are gonna see that," admits Richards-Ross, who battled a slow recovery from post-Olympic toe surgery during filming and has had a disappointing season, finishing only sixth in the 400 at June's USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. (Richards-Ross had previously won six national titles at the meet since 2003.)

The show also features Richards Ross and husband Aaron Ross - an NFL cornerback for the New York Giants - debating when to have children (he's ready now; she wants to wait until after the 2016 Olympics) and struggling with busy schedules that frequently keep them apart. "I think it's something a lot of working women can relate to: when is the right time to slow down to have a child," Richards-Ross says.

After the first week of filming, Richards-Ross admits that she lowered her inhibitions in front of the camera crew, leading to honest and raw conversations. "My family says this experience is almost like therapy for us," she says. "We were really able to sort through some issues. Yes, there are some moments where I wish I didn't say some things, and some things came out a little harsher than I thought. But that's our family; that's how we talk to each other. We have fun."